Extreme Attitude Makeover
By Sam Glenn
When we mention the word attitude, most people automatically assume that we are talking about whether someone is a positive or negative person. Let’s stop that assumption right here. Attitude involves so many intricate layers of who you are and what you do, beyond just being positive or negative. Your attitude has depth. It has life. It defines what you do. Attitude is who you are every day and in every way.
The first step to realizing the importance and value of your attitude is in knowing that it takes on many forms. Life feeds us information all day long in the form of good news, bad news, or just news. It is with our attitude that we interpret that information, or input. If our attitude is wrong, we will interpret everything in a negative way. If our attitude is right, we will interpret information, even bad information, in a better way. Here are a few examples of negative attitudes: having a big ego (“I am too important, better than you”), being a complainer, being lazy, being a criticizer, having a hot temper, being filled with fear, expressing hatred, being bossy, and being ruled by inflexibility. Here are some positive attitude forms: Patience, Understanding, Courage, Perseverance, Sense of Humor, Enthusiasm, Endurance, Kindness and Love. Based on this information, can you see that the “positive attitude forms” will profit your life, business, work and relationships more than the “negative attitude forms?”
How important is attitude in what you do? Attitude is crucial in your professional and personal life. My company and thousands of others hire and fire based on attitude first, and skills second. You might be the most educated and experienced person in your industry, but it’s the attitude you have that functions through those skills. If your attitude is not right, then your skills just won’t matter. Think about it, if you are moaning and groaning about the work you have to do, and interpreting everything that comes at you as a “problem,” do you really think a company or client is going to look at you and say, “Wow, you are so uptight, impatient, and inflexible; you’re hired!” NO WAY! And on a personal front, when you enter a relationship, what will make it blossom? The positive attitude forms. Developing an understanding of the intricacies of how your attitude affects your life is not rocket science. There are simple steps to apply that will produce results immediately?
Practice. Practice. Practice. Whatever you want to transpire in your life, you have to do it over and over and over again. Developing a proactive attitude begins by making a choice that when life throws you a wrench, you will respond with grace, and treat the “problem” as an “opportunity” to learn and overcome. This doesn’t mean you can’t ever be upset or frustrated, but you will not benefit from the situation by reacting and spiraling with your negative emotions, but by recognizing the potential for growth, and acting on your faith that there is something better to come from the situation. You have to step back and incorporate a positive attitude form. It will help you get over, above, and beyond the situation faster and with a greater profit potential.
Input creates output. It’s that simple. What you feed your mind will be inputted and then outputted in your work, relationships and life. If you don’t like your behavior (your output), then you need to begin to change your input. Begin to read good material. Listen to positive words and music. Surround yourself with people of character. This means you have to get rid of some of the “trash”, the negative stuff you are feeding your life. A lot of times we want to change others or situations but the key is in knowing that we can’t, but that we can change ourselves and our attitude by how we deal with others and situations.
The human body can also help determine the state of our attitude. When we are tired, hungry or overly stressed, then our attitude will struggle and be susceptible to taking on negative forms. That is why you need to eat well, sleep right and exercise regularly. Your body will thank you for these actions by releasing good chemicals such as endorphins that will give you a natural high, and help you sleep better, fight off depression, and release unmanaged stress, as well as give you a clear mind to think better, which will help you respond better to whatever information comes your way.
The 7-day Attitude Challenge. A wise person said, “What we ignore becomes weak and dies. What we give attention to gains strength and life.” I want to challenge you to give attention to your attitude for the next seven days. Catch yourself when you feel a negative attitude form coming on and change it before it overtakes you. See the results. Be proactive about cultivating the positive attitude forms listed above and see if this process profits your personal relationships, work, and life. Make some changes to what you put into your mind. See if that makes a difference. When you get to the end of seven days, evaluate your progress, and then you decide: Does this new attitude profit my life more, or not? If you have a great attitude already, let me challenge you to take it to a new peak or level. There is always more. See what happens.
Sam Glenn is one of the most respected and sought after motivational speakers and humorists. Sign up for Sam’s monthly Attitude Boosters at samglenn.com.
